Hypertension (high blood pressure) decisions — 2006

The Board has determined that the veteran's hypertension did not manifest until decades after service discharge and is not related to his active duty. The Board also found that hypertension was not proximately due to or the result of his service-connected back disability.

The Board has determined that the veteran does not have a current hearing loss disability, tinnitus, hypertension, or coronary artery disease that is related to his service. The evidence shows no manifestation of these conditions in service and they are not shown to be related to any incident therein.

The Board denied service connection for hypertension, left hip disability, seizure disorder, coronary artery disease (CAD), bilateral hearing loss, and vertigo.

The Board has determined that further examination and opinion evidence is needed to determine if the veteran's hypertension is related to his service-connected PTSD.

The Board denied the claim for service connection for cause of death, finding that dysthymic disorder (formerly depressive reaction) was not a contributory cause of death. The appellant's argument regarding misdiagnosis and suicide is not supported by evidence.

The VA denied a rating in excess of 10 percent for the appellant's service-connected hypertension, citing blood pressure readings that were within the range for a 10 percent disability rating.

The veteran's skin rash and bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome were not found to be related to his military service. The claims for asthma, hypertension, arthritis, and tinea pedis were all denied as new evidence did not raise a reasonable possibility of substantiating the claims.

The veteran's claims for service connection were denied across the board. The Board found that none of the claimed conditions are related to his period of active service.

The veteran's claims for PTSD and hypertension are being remanded due to the need for additional development, including obtaining award orders for his Bronze Star Medal.

The Board has denied the veteran's claims for service connection for hypertension and hypercholesterolemia as secondary to his service-connected diabetes mellitus, and denied a compensable rating for erectile dysfunction.

The Board found that the appellant does not meet the criteria for special monthly pension based on need for regular aid and attendance due to her ability to perform daily activities with assistance.

The Board has determined that the veteran's hypertension and arthritis are not proximately due to or the result of his service-connected post-operative residuals, pilonidal cyst.

The Board found that the veteran's service-connected PTSD did not cause or aggravate his hypertension and gastrointestinal disorder, thus denying both claims.

The Board has remanded the case for additional development due to incomplete appeals and need for medical examinations.

The Board denied the veteran's claims for service connection for diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and Bell's palsy as secondary to his service-connected knee disabilities. The Board found that there was no evidence linking these conditions to any of the veteran's service-connected conditions.

The Board found that the veteran's left knee arthritis and hypertension do not warrant increased evaluations as they are currently rated, with no evidence of more than the current assigned ratings.

The Board denied the veteran's claim for an earlier effective date prior to January 6, 2003, for the assignment of a 10 percent schedular rating for hypertension.

The Board has granted a 10 percent evaluation for service-connected hypertension, effective from June 9, 2003. The veteran's hypertension requires continuous medication for control and his systolic blood pressure readings were predominantly 160 or higher at least during the period of March 2003.

The Board has denied all claims for service connection and a higher initial rating for hypertension, as well as the denial of increased ratings for other conditions. The appellant did not meet the criteria for any of these claims.

The veteran's vascular disease, cerebrovascular accidents with residuals and hypertension were not found to be service-connected or secondary to his service-connected PTSD. The Board concluded that the veteran's death was due to metastatic squamous cell carcinoma rather than his service-connected PTSD.